Each year the Sydney Festival offers a rich and diverse program including dance, theatre, music, visual arts, films, forums and free outdoor events. For three weeks in January the Festival hosts around 80 events and 500 artists from Australia and abroad.
National Multicultural Festival, Canberra (February)
The National Multicultural Festival is held over two weeks and comprises national and international music, dance, food and creative arts. Festival favourites include the Food and Dance Spectacular, the Greek Glendi, Carnivale, the International Concert and the Pacific Islander Showcase.
Perth International Arts Festival (February)
The Perth International Arts Festival is the oldest annual international multi-arts festival. The first Perth Festival was in 1953 and it now offers the people of Western Australia some of the best international and contemporary drama, theatre, music, film, visual arts, street arts, literature, comedy and free community events. Some other events on the program include the Contemporary Culture program and the Perth Visual Arts Festival.
Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts (March)
The Adelaide Festival of Arts has created a strong tradition of innovation since 1960 inspiring celebration and presenting diverse art from across Australia and around the world. Held in the warm South Australian autumn every year, it includes a widerange of works of art.
Ten Days on the Island, Tasmania (March)
Tasmania 's celebration of arts and culture comprises Ten Days on the Island, boasts a multitude of events in 50 locations across the island. Events and activities range across all types of music, dance, visual arts, theatre, literature, food and films. Individual artists and companies come from all corners of the globe, together with a number of local artists.
Darwin Festival (August)
The Darwin Festival celebrates multicultural community, youthful energy, tropical climate and our great lifestyle. The cultural program provides a feast of local, national and international performances to excite, inspire and entertain. It includes opera, cabaret, dance, music, film, comedy, the visual arts and music and dance from Indigenous, Indonesian and Pacific Island communities.
Brisbane Festival (September)
Brisbane Festival offers works of theatre, dance, music, opera, multimedia, and free community events for the residents of Brisbane and its visitors and it is held every two years.
Melbourne International Arts Festival (October)
Melbourne International Arts Festival has a reputation for presenting unique international and Australian events in the fields of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia, free and outdoor events over 17 days each October. First staged in 1986 under the direction of composer Gian Carlo Menotti.
Independent festivals
Chinese New Year (February)
Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The new year begins on the first day of the Chinese calendar, which usually falls in February, and the festivities continue for 15 days and the people wear red clothes. Chinese New Year ends with the lantern festival, where people hang decorated lanterns in temples and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon. The highlight of the lantern festival is often the dragon dance.
Revelation Perth International Film Festival (July)
The Revelation Perth International Film Festival has always maintained a high focus on documentary. The festival's history has seen the screening of a wide array of contemporary and archival documentaries including Oscar nominated pieces, progressive works from the international scene and works from the international underground are represented in the Festival.
Woodford Folk Festival (December)
The Woodford Folk Festival is an event of international standing. Held over six days and six nights it presents more than 2000 performers and 400 events with concerts, dances, workshops, forums, street theatre, writers' panels, film festival, comedy sessions, acoustic jams, social dialogue and debate, an entire children's festival, art and craft workshops, late night cabarets and special events including a spectacular fire event.
Film festivals
Sony Tropfest - National (February)
Adelaide Film Festival - Adelaide (February - March)
Sydney Film Festival - Sydney (June)
Melbourne International Film Festival - Melbourne (July - August)
Are you ready to test your knowledge of Australian festivals? Here is a quiz for you:
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FESTIVAL'S IN AUSTRALIA
Cities’ festivals
Sydney Festival (January)
Each year the Sydney Festival offers a rich and diverse program including dance, theatre, music, visual arts, films, forums and free outdoor events. For three weeks in January the Festival hosts around 80 events and 500 artists from Australia and abroad.
National Multicultural Festival, Canberra (February)
The National Multicultural Festival is held over two weeks and comprises national and international music, dance, food and creative arts. Festival favourites include the Food and Dance Spectacular, the Greek Glendi, Carnivale, the International Concert and the Pacific Islander Showcase.
Perth International Arts Festival (February)
The Perth International Arts Festival is the oldest annual international multi-arts festival. The first Perth Festival was in 1953 and it now offers the people of Western Australia some of the best international and contemporary drama, theatre, music, film, visual arts, street arts, literature, comedy and free community events. Some other events on the program include the Contemporary Culture program and the Perth Visual Arts Festival.
Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts (March)
The Adelaide Festival of Arts has created a strong tradition of innovation since 1960 inspiring celebration and presenting diverse art from across Australia and around the world. Held in the warm South Australian autumn every year, it includes a widerange of works of art.
Ten Days on the Island, Tasmania (March)
Tasmania 's celebration of arts and culture comprises Ten Days on the Island, boasts a multitude of events in 50 locations across the island. Events and activities range across all types of music, dance, visual arts, theatre, literature, food and films. Individual artists and companies come from all corners of the globe, together with a number of local artists.
Darwin Festival (August)
The Darwin Festival celebrates multicultural community, youthful energy, tropical climate and our great lifestyle. The cultural program provides a feast of local, national and international performances to excite, inspire and entertain. It includes opera, cabaret, dance, music, film, comedy, the visual arts and music and dance from Indigenous, Indonesian and Pacific Island communities.
Brisbane Festival (September)
Brisbane Festival offers works of theatre, dance, music, opera, multimedia, and free community events for the residents of Brisbane and its visitors and it is held every two years.
Melbourne International Arts Festival (October)
Melbourne International Arts Festival has a reputation for presenting unique international and Australian events in the fields of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia, free and outdoor events over 17 days each October. First staged in 1986 under the direction of composer Gian Carlo Menotti.
Independent festivals
Chinese New Year (February)
Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The new year begins on the first day of the Chinese calendar, which usually falls in February, and the festivities continue for 15 days and the people wear red clothes. Chinese New Year ends with the lantern festival, where people hang decorated lanterns in temples and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon. The highlight of the lantern festival is often the dragon dance.
Revelation Perth International Film Festival (July)
The Revelation Perth International Film Festival has always maintained a high focus on documentary. The festival's history has seen the screening of a wide array of contemporary and archival documentaries including Oscar nominated pieces, progressive works from the international scene and works from the international underground are represented in the Festival.
Woodford Folk Festival (December)
The Woodford Folk Festival is an event of international standing. Held over six days and six nights it presents more than 2000 performers and 400 events with concerts, dances, workshops, forums, street theatre, writers' panels, film festival, comedy sessions, acoustic jams, social dialogue and debate, an entire children's festival, art and craft workshops, late night cabarets and special events including a spectacular fire event.
Film festivals
Sony Tropfest - National (February)
Adelaide Film Festival - Adelaide (February - March)
Sydney Film Festival - Sydney (June)
Melbourne International Film Festival - Melbourne (July - August)
Are you ready to test your knowledge of Australian festivals? Here is a quiz for you:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/47621644/es5Australia%20festivals.htm